If i die i'll kill you
by Maria Lynn
Summary: Piper a young girl from Bree is swept away on an adventure. 10 walker marysue
1. Chapter 1

It was a particularly quiet night on the streets of Bree. Their seemed to be a sense of danger on the air that night causing most of the inhabitants of this

village on the hill to go home early and lock their doors and windows. And why shouldn't they feel threatened, they have good reason what with all the talk

of strange folk abroad and not to mention the tales of disappearing hobbits that had spread though the town like wildfire. All this gave the night an eerie and

queer feeling. These occurrences were more then enough to cause the streets of Bree that would usually be occupied at all times, even during the late

hours of the night to disperse. The muddy roadway leading to the inn of the Prancing Pony however had one occupant, a lone hobbit by the name of

Meriadoc Brandybuck who for reasons unknown to all save Merry decided to go out for a stroll on this foreboding night.

* * *

Merry was strolling up the road from the Prancing Pony toward the north gate entrance to Bree whistling a soft melody to himself looking up at the

stars. Merry's peace however was interrupted as he was startled out of his daze by a shadowy figure in the corner of his eye, for there had been few people

on the road he was not expecting to encounter anyone. His head shot to the left trying to get a better look to see who in fact the shadowy figure was. But

before he could get a well enough look the being slid away out of sight into a near by alleyway across the road. Merry had an idea of who this being was

but he was hoping that he was wrong. Merry knew it to be foolish but really just could not help himself, he followed the figure into the dark ally. Merry could

not find it around the corner or the next corner and soon he found himself very turned around in the inner workings of Bree's alleys and back roads. His

wondering paid off when he heard voices conversing to one another through mutters and hisses. He could not comprehend the words being said and he did

not dare creep any closer. Merry was now gripped with terror he turned to leave, to try to run back to the seemingly safe inn. He lifted his foot to

begin his search for safety and fell.

* * *

Piper Pickthorn was one of the other rare people who ventured out that night, but not by choice. She had been jumping at her shadow and her hazy

reflection in windows her whole walk home. Piper knew very well that it was not safe to be out this late on any night let alone this one or any of the nights

recently for that matter. Piper knew about all the strange things that had been happening recently since she worked in a tavern she was able to eavesdrop

on all the local gossip and news. That said tavern was where she was walking home from at this moment. Piper let out a soft gasp jumping back holding her

heart as a black cat darted out in front of her chancing a mouse. Piper covered her face cursing under her breath. Cursing her boss for being the cruel man

that he was for making her work so late when he knew very well how dangerous it was for her to walk home, cursing the fact that she was the only one of

her friends that knew about the heightened danger of the past few months since it was considered ill advised to tell adolescent girls such thing, that it could

frighten their silly little heads. Admittedly she was terrified right know which just caused her to start cursing herself for being so scared. Piper had always

prided herself on being better then her friends because she didn't get scared of the folk tales and legends the boys would tell to frighten them. Piper wrapped

her arms around herself and continued walking. It was times like these that she wished something bad would happen just so she could prove herself or at

least have a interesting story that would amaze her friends. Piper turned a corner and looked up at her surroundings she had come off a main road onto a

smaller side one near Bill Ferny's house. Off in the distance she could see a huddled group upon closer inspection she realized it was two what appeared to

her to be men and another smaller figure laying on the ground. Piper was about to turn away and continue on her way, street fights and drunken brawls

were common sights in Bree after all. But then she looked back on her earlier thoughts, this is something she wanted to happen. Piper gritted her teeth and

turned on her heels and walked hastily toward the group. While she was walking she was thinking a million different things going over scenarios in her mind

about what could possibly happen each scenario getting worse then the last. Piper scolded herself for thinking so much and shouted at the people. She was

now about half of the way to the group so she began to pick up the pace half walking half jogging to the spot . Piper arrived at the spot and looked around

for the two bigger men but they had disappeared.

"Figures," she whispered to herself and looked down at the person on the ground. It was a hobbit she realized with blond curly hair and he appeared to

be unconscious. Piper kneeled down hiking up her red dress so the hem wouldn't touch the mud. She nudged him gently with the tips of her fingers when

that didn't rouse him she nudged him more fiercely. When that didn't work Piper bent down lower, she moved her brown hair out of the way and held her

head just above his to check if he was even breathing. Before she could make her diagnoses a pair of hands pushed her away from the hobbit on to her

back in the mud. Piper let out a half disgusted half surprised gasp. She looked over at the hobbit, he was clutching his chest breathing heavily.

"I..(heave)…thought I had…(heave)..fallen into deep water." the hobbit struggled to say. Piper gave him a appraising look. Before she could ask if

something was wrong with him, he shot to his feet and was looking around madly.

"Please you must help me. Do you know where the Prancing Pony is?" the hobbit asked her, a pleading look on his face.

"Well yes of course," Piper replied

"You must show me. I got myself a bit lost I am afraid and we must hurry they might come back."

"They? Who are they ?"

"Theirs no time please," the hobbit was begging know desperate he tugged on her forearm pulling her up out of the mud, " We must go now if they come

they could kill us." This statement caused Piper to snap out of her fun little daze. Suddenly saving a poor little hobbit didn't sound so fun.

"What? Kill us! No there must be a mistake," Piper was near hysterics now. She was looking around searching for any sign of the men that might try to kill

them the whole time all that was going through her mind was 'this was a bad idea, this was a very bad idea,'.

"Miss please we must get to the inn,"

"Its this way," piper pointed up the road and started running.

* * *

The hobbit and the girl were sprinting through the streets. Piper didn't even care about the mud any more she was skidding and falling ever few steps. All

she wanted was to find the inn and whatever safety the hobbit thought was there. The pair sprinted up and turned a corner only to come face to face with

another hobbit. Piper let out a shrill scream, surprised she covered her mouth.

"Oh thank you Nob its you," Merry sighed, thankful it wasn't something else.

"Well you don't need to thank me for being me its quiet easy. But besides that Mr. Butterbur sent me out to fetch you. He said your friends were quiet

anxious you had not returned yet." Nob said.

"Yes well that's all well and good but we really must be hurrying." Merry said back a little winded and him and Piper were still in quite a panic. Merry started

to run past Nob, Piper following behind him.

"Well sure they were anxious but there's really no need to run." Nob called trotting along after them.


	2. Chapter 2

A small group consisting of three hobbits and one man were startled when they heard a door slam. They had been in very deep discussion when the loud

noise occurred and were surprised, since such a noise so late was rare. The man became even more on edge as he heard feet running down the hallway

toward the parlor they occupied. The man however was calmed somewhat when he found that it was Merry, a friend of the hobbits in the room and Nob a

hobbit that works at the inn they were in. But he however did raise his brow at the young girl that followed them in. Merry and the girl shut the door quickly

after entering both looking out of breath and slightly frazzled. Nob however just looked out of breath and confused.

"I saw them Frodo. The Black Riders." Merry said turning to the hobbit with dark hair.

"Where?" Frodo demanded

"Here in Bree. I had gone out for a stroll when I saw it out of the corner of my eye. It had gone away before I could get a good look." Merry explained

"Which way did it go," The man asked sharply. This stopped Merry he had not noticed the man before and looked to his friends for explanations.

"Answer him Merry," Frodo said "He is a friend of Gandalf's ." Marry was puzzled but answered.

"It looked to head eastward through a maze of alleys. I tried to follow it but I got lost. I wandered around and found it. It was a foolish thing to do, I got

scared and tried to leave but I fell. That's I suppose when she found me." Merry said gesturing to the girl. " I never did get your name. What is it?"

"Piper Pickthorn," The girl answered now not at all likening all the eyes in the room on her.

"Yes Piper was there when I woke up." Merry explained

"What were you doing on the road this late Piper," The man asked suspiciously.

"I was walking home from working at Kenwood Tavern." Piper said stuttering slightly. Her nerves getting to her. "When I was passing Bill Ferny's house I

saw two men crouched over him. So I went to help." The man gave her a look clearly not satisfied with her explanation.

"Yes after she woke me she showed me how to get back here." Merry finished. "We had just made it to the end of this road here when we found Nob."

"Why were you so out of breath when you got here?" The man asked.

"We ran the whole way here," Merry explained.

"We were scared they would come back," Piper added softly.

"The riders must have come for information from Bill Ferny. They will know all the news by now. Something bad may happen tonight before we leave." The

man told the room.

"You don't think they would attack the inn do you Strider," one of the other hobbits asked the man.

"No. No they wouldn't try something so frontal." Strider answered. "Tonight we will stay here. Do not go back to your rooms that would be the first place

they would go. We will bar these windows and door. Nob and I shall collect you things."

* * *

After Strider and Nob had left the room Frodo and the other hobbits started explaining to Merry every thing that had happed since he was gone. Piper found

very quickly that the last two hobbits names were Pippin and Sam. She also heard something about a letter and some other strange things that didn't seem

like common conversation. Piper turned to the door and started to leave, there wasn't anything else for her to do. She had helped Merry, good for her but

know she needed to go home she was sure her mother was very worried about her by now. Piper was walking down the corridor toward the front down

when she saw Strider carrying some of what she assumed were the hobbits things and Nob following closely with the rest. Piper tried to get as far to the

opposite wall as possible and looking to her feet not daring to risk eye contact. As she watched Striders then Nobs feet disappear behind her Piper relaxed a

little and looked up when a hand grabbed her forearm from behind. Piper spun around to find Strider looking at her with a death glare and an iron grip around

her arm.

"Where do you think your going? " Strider asked her coldly. Piper was now very intimidated. With their close proximity Piper was finally able to realize how

much bigger this Strider was then her. He had to be at least 6 feet tall if not more and Piper only came in at a pathetic 5 feet. And the vice like grip on her

arm was an all to painful reminder of how strong he was and how weak she was.

"Home." was all she could manage.

"Oh no you can not go home," Strider said matter of factly.

"But why I didn't do any thing. Let me go." Piper said almost crying. She had quite enough of this, she just wanted to go home so her mother could make

her dinner and go to bed. Piper tried to pull her arm out of his grip but it did next to nothing besides cause him to tighten his grip.

"Those creatures. Those Black Riders saw you with the hobbit they think your one of use. They will kill you to get to use." Strider said slowly letting it sink in.

"But I don't know any thing about you. I -,"Piper began

"It doesn't matter they think you do. So when you cant tell them any thing they will kill you. Its not like the rest of the people in Bree they know you know

something your not just a spy with information." he paused for a bit. "Do you understand." Piper didn't answer but she did understand all too well. She

leaned against the wall and took a sharp intake of breath, she covered her face as three tears squeezed free. 'No' she thought to her self 'I cant break down

in front of this man. This is not the time for a panic attack.' Piper stopped the tears and composed herself somewhat and looked up still not daring to meet

his eye. Still Strider got the message that she understood. He released her arm and she straightened up with her head bowed she walked back to the parlor

with Strider following behind her. Piper walked back into the room and sat down on one of the unaccompanied chairs when she heard the hobbit Pippin

laughing a the disguises Nob had made for the Black Riders.

"What happens when they penetrate the disguises," Pippin asked

"We will see let us hope to keep the fort till morning." Strider answered sitting in a chair next to the window near were Piper sat. Nob had left and the

hobbits stuff was in a pile next to the wall, Sam had begun building up the fire, they locked the doors and windows and the hobbits began to settle in on their

blankets. Piper got out of the chair and picked up the extra blanket realizing strider had told Nob to get it knowing she would have to stay here before he

had told her so. She took the blanket a little out of the way of the hobbits and on the opposite side of the room from Strider and laid down near the fire.

The hobbits continued to talk about whatnot Piper only half listening. She saw Pippin look over at her a few times she could tell that he wanted to say

something to her but was probably discouraged by the look on her face. One by one Piper watched the hobbits drift off till they were all asleep Piper looked

over at Strider and he even seemed to have dozed off a bit. Piper turned over so her back was to all of them and prayed that she didn't cry her self to

sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Frodo had been tossing and turning in his sleep all night, he couldn't seem to shake the disturbing nightmares he was having. Frodo woke with a start. It

was now the early hours of the morning, the sky was grey and the air had gone cold, the fire from the night before had dwindled to a heap of ash and burnt

out wood, Frodo's gaze traveled over to Strider who was alert in a chair peering out the window. Strider noticing that he was awake decided to rouse the

rest of the hobbits and the girl from their sleep. Once they all were awake Strider led them to the hobbits abandoned bedrooms to investigate.

* * *

The room was in shambles. The door had been forced in and the curtains torn from the windows. The mattresses had been flung from there bed frames

slashed and butchered. The hobbits and girl examined the room wide eyed at the destruction, all of them very glad that they had heeded Striders advice and

stayed in the parlor. Strider had gone to seek out Mr. Butterbur leaving the rest to survey the damage. Merry and Pippin boldly entered the room further,

awed at the amount of damage. Frodo, Piper and Sam stayed near the door fearing that some unknown beast still lingered inside waiting to strike.

"I didn't hear a thing last night," Merry said wide eyed. "Surly this would have made noise loud enough for someone to hear." He continued gaping at the

over turned bed frames.

"I had thought Strider would have heard if anyone entered the inn," Pippin added.

"Oh my how could this happen," Mr. Butterbur cried entering the room everyone turning to look at him. "I had put in extra precautions and stayed up nearly

all night so I would be aware of any intrudes. I don't understand how I could not have heard THIS!" Mr. Butterbur was baffled and looked very troubled. He

didn't like the idea of his inn being broken into.

"Do not trouble yourself Butterbur, your inn will be safe once more when you have rid of us." Strider said. "We will leave at once. Have the ponies prepared

and send a bite to eat, we shall be ready soon."

* * *

Mr. Butterbur left at once to attend to the ponies while the hobbits returned to the parlor to pack their belongings. Strider proceeded behind the hobbits to

the parlor, Piper following hesitantly behind him. When they were closer to the door Strider could hear Piper's pace pick up behind him until he felt her grab

his arm. Strider spun around facing the girl very annoyed.

"What." He hissed at the girl.

"When you were talking to Mr. Butterbur you said that we were leaving. Leaving to go where? Surly we are not leaving Bree?" The girl asked.

"Of course were leaving Bree girl. Where in Bree would you have thought we would go? Travel from inn to inn till the riders lost track of us." Strider mocked

her. "And as far as where we are headed you will not know. All that you can know is that we are on a very important errand and some very bad people

would kill to have us stopped." The girl stuttered a little over her next words.

"But you can not think of bringing me with you on this 'errand'. I can not leave Bree. What will my parents think when I do not return home they already

must be worried sick." Piper cried.

"Your parents will be best not knowing and YOU ARE leaving with us. Do you not remember our little discussion last night?" Strider was very aggravated by

this point. Piper stayed quiet she did remember.

"But I didn't think this situation was that bad," Piper said quietly. Strider sighed.

"Yes this is that bad. This situation is far worse then you could have ever imagined." Piper was very quiet now Strider felt a pang of guilt as he looked at the

girls distraught face, he _almost_ wanted to comfort the girl. But he resisted, Strider had been suspicious of the girl since she had entered the parlor with Merry

the night before. He didn't necessarily believe the story about this girl who just _happened_ to be walking by and out of the goodness of her heart decided to

go save some poor hobbit from two large ominous figures. It was not as if Merry had witnessed her come to his rescue she had just been there when he

woke up, for all any of us knew she could have been one of the figures and when they realized he was not the hobbit with the ring they had her follow Merry

to the rest of us to get it. Strider could not help but think this way, there were too many coincidences for her story to be likely. Either way Strider had

decided that she would go with them to Rivendell. If she was a spy sent to kill them and take the ring it would be better to have her near so he could be

sure she would not follow and kill them in their sleep or tell someone worse about what she knows of them. Then he would hand her over to the elves in

Rivendell to extract any information they could from her, or if she tried something on the road he would simply dispose of her in the wild. Strider looked her

up and down as he thought that and didn't think she could really be much of a threat with her small stature. But if by some chance she was telling the truth

then sadly he thought it would still be best for her to journey with them. He didn't know what to expect the Nazgul to think of her, but he didn't want to take

the chance of them coming after her once he and the hobbits left Bree. Strider took into consideration her muddied dress and boots and assessed it wasn't

the best thing for her to wear, but she could still manage in what she had on. The girl was about to say something else when Butterbur came hurrying over.

"The ponies have gone," Butterbur panted. "Someone has emptied my stables," Strider cursed inwardly he should have expected as much. He turned to the

door to the parlor and entered followed by Butterbur and Piper.

Strider told the hobbits about the ponies. All the hobbits were upset at this news.

"How are we to out run enemies on horse back while we are on foot." Frodo cried.

"The ponies would not have helped us much if we were pursued, so do not worry about that." Strider replied "The real trouble this loss gives us is our

supplies. It will be a long journey and we can not count on finding food in the wild. How much can each of you carry?"

"As much as we must," Pippin answered putting on a brave front. Piper and Frodo frowned at this.

"Cant any thing be done, Mr. Butterbur?" Frodo asked

"I don't think there is." replied Butterbur sadly. "The few ponies in Bree were in my stables there are few others, I'm sure those won't be for sale. I suppose

I could send out Bob to make sure though."

"Yes that would probably be best," Strider said with reluctance. "Though this ends our hopes of leaving early without being seen, that was no doubt their

plan."

"Yes well something good did come out of this," Pippin said clapping his hands together "Now we can have a proper breakfast."

"Cheers to that," Merry agreed and they both went off in search of Nob.

* * *

Three hours had now gone by and the sun was now fully in the sky. They had all had a wonderful breakfast while Bob went out to search for a pony for sale.

Pippin and Merry were now full and conversing about how delicious the muffins were and Frodo seemed to be in better spirits with the hope of finding a

pony. Strider and Sam were in friendly conversation, Strider all the while keeping an eye on Piper so she wouldn't run off.

Bob had now come back to report his semi-good news.

"I had search all over the neighborhood in search of a spare pony that could be for sale. But Bill Ferny is the only one that would be willing to sell, he has a

poor old half starved pony but he won't sell for any less then three times its worth."

"Bill Ferny?" Frodo asked suspiciously "This must be some trick."

"It could very well be." Strider agreed. "But I can only see him thinking this a means to thicken his pockets then to sabotage us."

* * *

The group gathered their remaining thing as well as quiet a bit of extra supplies and were setting off. When they arrived at Bill Ferny's it was clear Bobs

outrage at the price for the pony was justified. The pony was near dead and twelve silver pennies was clearly a high price to pay. Mr. Butterbur insisted he

pay for it himself and even offered Merry compensation for his other lost ponies. They stopped for a moment a ways away from Ferny's to transfer the

majority of the baggage to the pony. And set off once again to the outskirts of Bree. Piper was very glad to be rid of most of her luggage but she still had a

rather heavy pack that Sam had thrown at her. She could now see the end of the village and was so tempted to just turn and run back. 'Would they follow

me if I did, I wonder how fast strider is, I bet I could out run him.' Piper thought but then she remembered what he had said about those men coming after

her and she rid her mind of thoughts of fleeing.

They had now exited Bree Strider was pleased with this outcome more or less they had been seen by a few early risers but it wasn't the parade it could

have been if they waited just a few more hours.


End file.
